What Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) does

AEM (Association of Equipment Manufacturers) is a North American trade association serving as the collective voice for off-road equipment manufacturers across agriculture, construction, mining, utility, and forestry sectors. Founded in 1894 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the organization operates as a private non-profit governed by a board of member-company executives (including Caterpillar, CNH Industrial, John Deere, AGCO, and Volvo CE) and today represents more than 1,000 member companies spanning 200+ product lines. Its functional offerings cluster around four pillars: (1) Advocacy, including federal, state, provincial, and international policy representation and the I Make America grassroots campaign with 50,000+ supporters; (2) Business Intelligence and Market Share Statistics delivered through 225+ proprietary product programs powered by the wholly-owned Hargrove Association Insights (HAI) subsidiary; (3) Owned trade shows including CONEXPO-CON/AGG, The Utility Expo, World of Asphalt with AGG1, and Commodity Classic; and (4) Safety, sustainability, and workforce-development resources. The portfolio is completed by the AEM Industry Advisor newsletter, the Hall of Fame, and member education webinars.

Revenue mechanics are anchored in recurring annual membership dues from the 1,000+ member base, supplemented by exhibit-space sales, registration, and sponsorship revenue from major trade shows, plus subscription access to proprietary market data, AEM Store sales (safety manuals and historical Ag Tractor and Combine reports in 40-, 30-, and 10-year variants), and newsletter sponsorships. Dues are scaled by member company products and sales to AEM industries; equipment dealers, distributors, and rental companies are explicitly excluded from membership eligibility. Distribution is conducted through AEM.org and the member portal (ADU), the AEM Store (shop.aem.org), regional offices in Washington D.C. (downtown near McPherson Square Metro), and trade show venues across Las Vegas, Louisville, New Orleans, and increasingly Greater Noida, India. The organization maintains international operating geographies in the U.S., Canada, Chile, and India.

Name

Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)

Legal name

Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Website

https://aem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

AEM is a 130-year-old North American trade association representing 1,000+ equipment manufacturers across agriculture, construction, mining, utility, and forestry, delivering advocacy, proprietary market share statistics, business intelligence, and major owned trade shows.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from 1,000+ member companies across equipment manufacturers, component manufacturers, and service providers. Dues structure based on company products and sales to AEM industries.
2. Trade Shows and Events: Revenue from CONEXPO-CON/AGG, The Utility Expo, World of Asphalt, Commodity Classic, and other industry events. Includes exhibit space sales, registration fees, and sponsorships.
3. Market Share Statistics Access: Members that report into statistical programs gain access to confidential industry data. Non-members cannot purchase statistical data.
4. Safety Materials and Reports: Sale of safety manuals, Ag Tractor and Combine historical reports (40-year, 30-year, 10-year options), and industry publications through the AEM Store.
5. Newsletter and Content Subscriptions: The award-winning AEM Industry Advisor newsletter delivered twice weekly. Members can submit stories and content for the newsletter.
6. Sponsorships and Branding: Exclusive sponsorship and branding opportunities at AEM events and programs for member companies to elevate brand visibility among industry peers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AEM is a North American trade association that delivers advocacy, business intelligence, trade shows, market share statistics, safety resources, and workforce development services to 1,000+ member companies in the off-road equipment manufacturing industry. Its core deliverables include owning and operating major construction and agriculture trade shows (CONEXPO-CON/AGG, The Utility Expo, World of Asphalt, Commodity Classic) and providing proprietary market data programs covering 225+ product categories.

Product overview

AEM (Association of Equipment Manufacturers) is a North American trade association serving as a platform and community for construction and agriculture equipment manufacturers. Rather than a single unified product, AEM offers a portfolio of services including: major trade shows (CONEXPO-CON/AGG, The Utility Expo, World of Asphalt, Commodity Classic), proprietary Market Share Statistics and Business Intelligence data programs, advocacy programs including the I Make America grassroots campaign, safety and sustainability toolkits, the AEM Industry Advisor newsletter, and member-only resources accessed through the AEM Portal. The organization hosts over 80 member groups and committees addressing industry-specific technical, safety, and regulatory issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CONEXPO-CON/AGG: North America's largest construction trade show, held every three years in Las Vegas
• The Utility Expo
• World of Asphalt
• Commodity Classic
• Hargrove Association Insights (HAI)
• I Make America
• AEM Industry Advisor
• AEM Hall of Fame

Products and services

• CONEXPO-CON/AGG North America's largest construction trade show, held in Las Vegas, showcasing the latest equipment, products, services and technologies for the construction industries. Connects member manufacturers with construction industry buyers through in-person exhibits and demonstrations.
• The Utility Expo The premier trade show for utility construction and infrastructure professionals, featuring hands-on access to the latest equipment, tools, technologies and solutions for transmission, distribution, water, wastewater, and telecom markets. Held biennially in Louisville, Kentucky, with over 22,600 attendees and 1,000+ exhibitors at the 2025 edition.
• World of Asphalt Show and Conference North America's leading international exposition and education resource for the asphalt, pavement maintenance and traffic safety industries. Held biennially and co-located with AGG1 Aggregates Academy and Expo.
• AGG1 Aggregates Academy and Expo The aggregates industry's leading exposition and education resource, co-located with World of Asphalt. Targeted at aggregates producers and industry suppliers.
• Commodity Classic America's top agricultural convention and trade show, managed by farmers for farmers, connecting agribusiness decision-makers with innovative professional farmer leaders.
• Market Share Statistics Proprietary market data programs providing participating members with confidential industry data to benchmark and plan for growth across 200+ product lines. Includes over 225 unique product programs with comprehensive statistical reporting for industry benchmarking.
• Business Intelligence Economic data and actionable insights including macroeconomic trends, industry data, Equipment Market Update webinars, and Agrievolution global agriculture industry reports for AEM members.
• AEM Sustainability Toolkit Assessments and resources to help manufacturers and their supply chains minimize operational impact on the environment, supporting alignment with evolving ESG regulations.
• U.S. Ag Tractor and Combine Reports Monthly aggregated retail sales data reports for U.S. and Canada agricultural tractors and combines, with historical data purchase options in 40-year US, 30-year US & Canada, and 10-year US and Canada formats.
• Safety Materials Program Safety manuals and best practice guidance materials available for purchase through the AEM Store for equipment operators and manufacturers.
• AEM Industry Advisor Newsletter Award-winning newsletter delivered twice weekly providing the latest news and insights on advocacy, agriculture, construction, safety, sustainability, technology and workforce topics for equipment manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.2 million U.S. jobs supported by equipment manufacturing industry in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• C.D. Howe InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026AEM sponsored a C.D. Howe Institute luncheon featuring Ontario Minister of Infrastructure as keynote speaker. The partnership brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and economic experts to address infrastructure investment and manufacturing competitiveness in Canada.
• Messe Munich InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026AEM and Messe Munich International formed a strategic cooperative effort to organize bauma CONEXPO India, the leading international construction machinery exhibition in India. The partnership leverages AEM's North American industry expertise with Messe Munich's global event organization capabilities.
• Ontario Provincial GovernmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025AEM conducted inaugural Queen's Park Day engaging Ontario Premier Doug Ford and provincial Ministers on trade resilience, infrastructure investment, permitting modernization, and resource development priorities.
• Hargrove Association Insights (HAI)coreTechnology or IntegrationAEM acquired Hargrove & Associates (now Hargrove Association Insights) in 2018. HAI powers AEM Market Share Statistics programs and provides tailored research and data solutions exclusively for AEM members.
• S&P Global Market IntelligencecoreTechnology or IntegrationS&P Global Market Intelligence prepared AEM's triennial economic impact reports for both U.S. and Canadian equipment manufacturing industries. The reports show $902 billion U.S. output and $54 billion Canadian output.
• Oliver WymanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOliver Wyman partnered with AEM on a report examining rising uncertainty in the North American industrial goods sector, highlighting declining sentiment and revenue amid tariff uncertainty and economic pressures.
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEM hosts the OECD Tractor Codes Technical Working Group meeting at CNH Experience Center in Racine, Wisconsin, facilitating global collaboration on tractor test codes and international standards.
• American Rental Association (ARA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARA Vice President Tom Doyle and representatives from Sunbelt Rentals, United Rentals, and Herc Rentals participated in AEM Sustainability Council meeting to discuss Scopes 1, 2, and 3 carbon reporting and develop common industry resources.
• Commodity ClassicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEM became a partner and member of Commodity Classic's management committee in 2019. Commodity Classic is America's top agricultural convention and trade show, managed by farmers for farmers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA): ARA represents agricultural input retailers and service providers across North America. Comparable to AEM as a membership-funded agriculture-focused trade association running advocacy, events, and statistical programs, with overlapping membership companies in the agricultural value chain.
• American Rental Association (ARA): ARA is the U.S. trade association for equipment rental companies and a confirmed AEM partner (joined AEM Sustainability Council). Comparable because both serve the off-road equipment value chain with membership dues, events, advocacy, and statistical programs targeted at adjacent buyer/supplier constituencies.
• Associated Equipment Distributors (AED): AED represents equipment distributors, dealers, and manufacturers in the construction and industrial equipment value chain. Highly comparable to AEM because both run membership-funded trade associations serving the same equipment lifecycle (OEM-to-distributor) with advocacy, training, and trade events.
• National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA): NSSGA is the trade association for U.S. aggregates producers and operates the AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo, which is co-located with AEM's World of Asphalt. Directly comparable because it operates an annual convention for aggregates industry buyers and shares AEM's intersection with infrastructure and construction cycles.

Regional players

• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME): CME is Canada's largest trade association for manufacturers, including the off-highway equipment manufacturing sector that AEM represents in Canada. Comparable association model and policy advocacy focus, but serves a broader manufacturing base and operates primarily in Canada rather than North America as a whole.
• Messe München (bauma): Messe München is the German trade fair organizer that owns the bauma construction equipment exhibition and co-runs bauma CONEXPO India with AEM. Comparable as a global trade show operator and direct partner, but primarily serves Europe and operates as a commercial event company rather than a member-funded association.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): NAM is the largest U.S. manufacturing trade association with advocacy, legal, and workforce programs. Comparable as a broader industry umbrella association with similar dues/event/advoc business model, but covers all manufacturing rather than specializing in off-road equipment.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): ABC is a national construction industry trade association serving commercial contractors with advocacy, training, and events. Comparable business model (membership dues, conferences, workforce development) but serves the buyer side of AEM's member products rather than the manufacturer side.
• National Mining Association: National Mining Association is the U.S. trade body for the mining industry and a buyer-side counterpart to AEM's mining-equipment OEM members. Comparable association structure, advocacy focus, and trade show operations (MINExpo), though serves mining operators rather than equipment manufacturers.
• American Farm Bureau Federation: American Farm Bureau is the largest U.S. general agriculture trade association and a co-organizer with AEM of Commodity Classic. Comparable membership/advocacy/event model and overlapping agricultural policy interests, though it represents farmer-buyers rather than AEM's equipment-manufacturer members.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aemadvisor
• Facebookfacebook.com/AEMUpdates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-equipment-manufacturers-aem-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)